Electronic device for controlling input mode according to folding angle, and method therefor

Abstract

At least one processor included in an electronic device can acquire first motion data about the motion of the electronic device through at least one motion sensor, acquire second motion data about a motion of an external device through a connector included in the electronic device, determine, on the basis of the first motion data and the second motion data, the folding angle between the electronic device and the external device connected to the electronic device, and determine, on the basis of the determined folding angle, an input mode that sets whether to display a user interface on a display or whether to block an input signal received through the connector. Various other embodiments identified through the specification are possible.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device comprising:
 a display; 
 at least one motion sensor configured to detect motion of the electronic device; 
 a coupling device coupled to an external device to be rotatable with respect to the electronic device; 
 a connector connected to the external device to transmit a signal to the external device or receive a signal from the external device as the electronic device is coupled to the external device; and 
 at least one processor operatively connected to the display, the at least one motion sensor, and the connector, 
 wherein the at least one processor is configured to: 
 obtain first motion data on motion of the electronic device through the at least one motion sensor; 
 obtain second motion data on motion of the external device through the connector; 
 determine a folding angle between the electronic device and the external device based on the first motion data and the second motion data; and 
 determine an input mode for setting whether to display a user interface on the display and/or whether to block an input signal received through the connector based on the determined folding angle. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to block an input signal received through the connector without displaying a user interface on the display in case the determined folding angle falls within a first angle range. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to obtain an input signal received through the connector in case the folding angle falls within a second angle range, and display a user interface corresponding to a user input on the display in response to the input signal. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device of  claim 3 , wherein the second angle range comprises a first hysteresis range and a second hysteresis range,
 an input signal received through the connector is blocked in case the folding angle increases in the first hysteresis range and the input signal is obtained in case the folding angle decreases, and 
 an input signal received through the connector is obtained in case the folding angle increases in the second hysteresis range and the input signal is blocked in case the folding angle decreases. 
 
     
     
       5. The electronic device of  claim 4 , wherein the first hysteresis range comprises an angle range of 31° to 49°, and
 the second hysteresis range comprises an angle range of 211° to 239°. 
 
     
     
       6. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein in case the folding angle falls within a third angle range, the at least one processor is configured to block an input signal received through the connector. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the input signal comprises at least one of an input signal through a keyboard included in the external device and an input signal through a touchpad included in the external device. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the connector comprises a POGO connector, and
 the at least one processor is configured to apply power to the external device through the connector and to obtain motion data from the external device. 
 
     
     
       9. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor comprises a processor and a data controller configured to determine the folding angle, and
 the data controller is configured to directly obtain the motion data from the at least one motion sensor or obtain the motion data through the processor. 
 
     
     
       10. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the folding angle based on the first motion data having a first scan period and the second motion data having a second scan period longer than the first scan period. 
     
     
       11. An operation method of an electronic device, the operation method comprising:
 obtaining first motion data on motion of the electronic device through at least one motion sensor; 
 obtaining second motion data on motion of an external device through a connector; 
 determining a folding angle between the electronic device and the external device based on the first motion data and the second motion data; and 
 determining an input mode for setting whether to display a user interface on the display or whether to block an input signal received through the connector based on the determined folding angle. 
 
     
     
       12. The operation method of  claim 11 , comprising blocking an input signal received through the connector without displaying a user interface on the display in case the determined folding angle falls within a first angle range. 
     
     
       13. The operation method of  claim 11 , comprising:
 obtaining an input signal received through the connector in case the determined folding angle falls within a second angle range; and 
 displaying a user interface corresponding to a user input on the display in response to the input signal. 
 
     
     
       14. The operation method of  claim 13 , wherein the second angle range comprises a first hysteresis range and a second hysteresis range, and
 the operation method comprises: 
 blocking an input signal received through the connector in case the folding angle increases in the first hysteresis range; 
 obtaining the input signal in case the folding angle decreases in the first hysteresis range; 
 obtaining an input signal received through the connector in case the folding angle increases in the second hysteresis range; and 
 blocking the input signal in case the folding angle decreases in the second hysteresis range. 
 
     
     
       15. The operation method of  claim 11 , comprising blocking an input signal received through the connector in case the folding angle falls within a third angle range. 
     
     
       16. An electronic device comprising:
 a motion sensor configured to detect motion of the electronic device; 
 a coupling device for coupling the electronic device to an external device so that the external device is rotatable with respect to the electronic device; 
 a connector connected to the external device for communicating a signal with respect to the external device as the electronic device is coupled to the external device; and 
 a processor operatively connected to the motion sensor and the connector and configured to: 
 obtain first motion data on motion of the electronic device through the motion sensor; 
 obtain second motion data on motion of the external device through the connector; 
 determine a folding angle between the electronic device and the external device based on the first and second motion data; and 
 determine an input mode for setting whether to display a user interface and/or whether to block an input signal received through the connector based on the determined folding angle. 
 
     
     
       17. The electronic device of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the processor is configured to block an input signal received through the connector without displaying a user interface in case the determined folding angle falls within a first angle range, 
 the processor is configured to obtain an input signal received through the connector in case the folding angle falls within a second angle range and to display a user interface corresponding to a user input in response to the input signal, 
 the processor is configured to block an input signal received through the connector in case the folding angle falls within a third angle range. 
 
     
     
       18. The electronic device of  claim 17 , wherein the second angle range comprises a first hysteresis range and a second hysteresis range,
 an input signal received through the connector is blocked in case the folding angle increases in the first hysteresis range and the input signal is obtained in case the folding angle decreases, and 
 an input signal received through the connector is obtained in case the folding angle increases in the second hysteresis range and the input signal is blocked in case the folding angle decreases. 
 
     
     
       19. The electronic device of  claim 16 , wherein the connector comprises a POGO connector. 
     
     
       20. The electronic device of  claim 16 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the folding angle based on the first motion data having a first scan period and the second motion data having a second scan period longer than the first scan period.